Hole Covers

mprcomp

Hi,

I am buying a property and for whatever reason the fence is not to the actual boundary.

There are two council signs stating the street names. There are is a cover for a hole in ground. It says on top P.O. so wonder who this would belong to. The other is a sign which says H. Which I think means a cover for water or something?

Am I allowed to put a fence around these as the land they are belong to the property?

Does anyone know if I am allowed to request that the council move the signs which are on my property?

Thanks

Mprcomp

Werdnal

H is usually Hydrant (water).

PO comes from the old GPO - now British Telecom/BT.

I am not sure about moving the signs or the inspection point itself. Best ask the council!

mprcomp

The hydrant must be in the road next to it. It says 2 and 100 so that probably means it's on the road or further in the estate. So that should not be an issue. I think I will just move the fence to edge of boundary. If BT want access to hole I am more than welcome to let them have access.

Thanks

Davesnave

BT (Openreach) will move things if you ask them to, then bill you for the work!

They can, literally, put up a pole on your property without permission. True, they don't usually connect to it until the landowner has had time to object, but that is probably the only time when they might move something for free.

Fire hydrant signs (H signs) are there particularly to help the fire brigade or others who might need to set up temporary pipes. For that reason, they should not be obscured.

chris_m

Davesnave wrote: »

BT (Openreach) will move things if you ask them to, then bill you for the work!

If, as it sounds like, it's a manhole that bill could be rather large - assuming, of course, that they can get permission to dig another one in the pavement nearby plus the trenching to divert the cables from the old to the new.

chris_m

mprcomp wrote: »

If BT want access to hole I am more than welcome to let them have access.

Including taking your fence down and parking on your lawn if the work requires a vehicle located close to the hole and in line with the underground cable runs?

Werdnal

If it is just the H sign on your property, I suspect it could be moved.

As far as I know, the 100 is 100mm diameter (pipework size), and the 2 would be 2 metres - distance away from the sign. Fire service use them as direct access to the mains for fire fighting, and should there ever be a water main failure/severe draught, the water company can fit standpipes with taps to allow the neighbourhood to access domestic water. Have a look out in the street a couple meters away and you will find the actual cover in the ground.

The GPO/BT access point would be more concern, as it could carry cables for any number of your neighbours, and be quite costly to actually move. If it is on your property, it should appear on the deeds and there should be a "wayleave" agreement, ie a right of access for BT or whoever is using it, to access, so its not down to you to agree, it is a right! There may be a small payment every year to cover the inconvenience of them accessing it - we have 3 electricity poles on our land, and we get £20 a year "wayleave allowance" to cover the power company access. Lived here 20 years this month and they have never had to access or do any work to them yet, but BT is a little more tricky and faults/repairs may be more frequent. Depends what is actually under the cover - you may find its been superceded and no longer carries anything!

mprcomp

Thanks for all replies so far. I may just put up the fence next to it kind of square round it so they can still get access to it. Just went and looked and the hydrant is on the floor of the road.

I just need to get onto council for having two signs on the land behind the fence. They are both concreted into ground. If I don't get a reasonable response may just take them out and attach them to the back of the fence.

Thanks

Mprcomp